The year 2010 was by far the year of entrepreneurs and risk takers in the Hindi film industry. The success of Peepli [Live], Udaan and most recently Phans Gaya Re Obama has underlined the fact that the days of big studios, casting larger than life stars in films backed by insipid scripts resulting in blockbusters are gone for good. Ask the Roshans, they are still looking for the mangled remains of the ill-fated Kites!

On its opening day Phans Gaya Re Obama earned Rs 1.25 crore, but since then the collections are steadily going up on the back of positive reviews and word of mouth publicity, while the other big ticket releases of the day Rakht Charitra 2 and Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Se have had a lukewarm response so far. Made on a huge budget, and sold off to distributors at a heavy premium KHJJS had a disastrous weekend of around Rs 3.50 crore net nationally. Industry website ‘Box Office India’ claims that “Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey is likely to wrap its lifetime business at just 6 crore nett and a disastrous distributors share of less than 3 crore.” Not a happy scenario for anyone who has invested in the project.

Although, in the age of multiplexes the films with small enterprise structure are thriving, with the latest beneficiary being Subhash Kapoor’s ‘Phans Gaya Re Obama’; a film made on a small budget with actors who can deliver the goods on screen, a neat marketing plan (minus the gimmicks) followed by sale of screening rights to a satellite channel. Profit guaranteed. Ask Aamir Khan, the shrewdest of the film marketers. He produced the highly acclaimed Peepli [Live] for a shoe string budget of Rs10 crore and even before the release of the film the TV rights were reportedly sold off for that amount of money. Every penny the film earned after that was up and above of the production cost.

Lesson learnt: It is not too difficult to make money in the business of entertaining people, all one needs is a good story and an able story teller!

Before all the Munnis and Shielas, there was the one and only Helen. A legend in her own right, Helen, the veteran of over 500 films has certainly carved a unique space for herself in the hearts of all cinephiles. Over the years, her unlikely partnership with Asha Bhonsle has given us some of the most memorable numbers in Indian film history which are popular even today.

Besides being one of the most entertaining performers, Helen is credited with bringing about the cabaret or burlesque elements into the Indian film industry. She may not be the first, but she is certainly the most popular and endearing champion of this art form. At a time when leading ladies were bound to work within rigid concepts of Indian moral value systems, Helen, the quintessential outsider with her sino-western looks slipped easily into the role of the vixen or moll with a brilliant dance number to boot. Most of the times, Helen’s item numbers had no relevance whatsoever to the film’s continuity. But she is still remembered for them which is a testament to her on screen charisma. According to film lore, Helen not only choreographed her own dance moves, but she was also actively involved in the design aspects of her outrageous outfits as well as the styling of her looks. And this was what would set her apart from all the other item girls to come. Some of the classic Helen looks were the blonde bouffant wigs, fantastic feather head gears, dramatic cat’s eye-makeup, coloured contact lenses and sheer bodysuits covered with rhinestones.

As an immigrant during the Second World War, Helen’s own life has been akin to a melodramatic film story. Family constraints compelled her to leave studies and join films as a chorus dancer. Her big break came in 1958 in the most unassuming of ways. The film was Howrah Bridge starring the ethereal Madhubala and Ashok Kumar. Director Shakti Samantha had captured the actress in her seductive best in the song “Aaiye Meherbaan”. But music director O.P. Nayyar had composed another peppy number “Mera Naam chin Chin Choo” and Helen, a moderately known dancer was chosen to be the danseuse. The nimble footed, fully clothed Helen more than matched up to the gusty vocals of Geeta Dutt, and India’s dancing girl had arrived.

The Asha-Helen combo started with the 1966 release Teesri Manzil, a Naseer Hussain production with music from a brand new composer, R.D. Burman. Few minutes into the film and audiences were witness to an electrifying number “O Haseena Zulfowali”. The white stage set was the perfect backdrop for a colourfully dressed Helen, and matching her step to step was no other than Shammi Kapoor. Now you can’t get more flamboyant than that!

By 1971, Helen had mastered the art of cabaret to such an extent that she created a dance form that was uniquely Helen, which no actress has been able to copy till date. “Piya Tu” was the number, and a stocking clad Helen heaved and writhed on the stage, and the Indian audience couldn’t get enough of this beauty with the come hither eyes.

By the 70’s, Helen’s reign as the undisputed dancing queen was ending. The new breed of heroines, Zeenat Aman and Parveen Babi were certainly no shrinking violets. Longtime friend and later husband Salim Khan roped her in for “Mehbooba Mehbooba” for which we are all thankful. Wearing a gypsy inspired outfit, Helen gyrated her way into one of the top ten Indian films of all time – Sholay.

During the last leg of her career, Helen decided to push the envelope so to say. Instead of a western dance number, the audience saw the dancing queen in an Indian avatar. Wearing a nauvari sari, Helen crooned to “Mungda Main Gud Ki Dali” in the 1978 release Inkaar. The film may not be fresh in the public memory, but Helen’s number certainly is.

“Ye Mera Dil” is seen by many as Helen’s swan song. Cabarets’ were no longer part of the Indian film scene and vamp roles were hard to come by. Again scriptwriter Salim Khan came to her rescue by pitching her against rising star Amitabh Bachchan in Don (1978). Helen’s screen time was all of 10 minutes, but within those scant minutes she burned her way into the psyche of the Indian audience. Years later, a Kapoor scion tried to recreate the same magic but didn’t get far. Like they say, you shouldn’t tamper with something that’s perfect.

Bollywood mandarins have a special affinity to their young audience. Release dates are managed to suit their convenience, avoid big releases in Feb-March (exam time!) but come April (and the summer vacations) every producer starts coaxing & cajoling the distributors for pushing their films harder than the other. But despite these considerations, over the years film-makers have hardly made honest attempts at making films which appeal to children only, one lesson they have not been able to borrow from their Hollywood counterparts where there is a surfeit of films catering only to the young audience.

Ask any 13 year old from for his favourite character from popular culture, it would inevitably be an Edward Cullen or a Harry Potter…but favourite actor will either one of Shah Rukh/Aamir/Hrithik or Salman. The point is, our industry has given them idols through the personas that our stars portray on the celluloid, but when it comes to relatable characters we lag far behind in the race. But on the occasion of Children’s Day, IIFA brings to you a list of gems from Indian Cinema which spoke to children and adults in a language that both were able to comprehend and relate to.

Mr India (1987):
Shekhar Kapur’s blockbuster adapts the myth of the “invisible man” to Indian setting and makes him a crusader against corruption who takes on an international crime syndicate to save an orphanage. All the actors gave career defining performances; Anil Kapoor as Mr India and Amrish Puri as the legendary Mogambo were terrific to say the least. Children, those who were cast on-screen and those who watched the film, had a blast with Mr India. It tickled them silly, and also taught them the old super-hero adage – with great powers, come great responsibilities. Also, for the children of 80s, having a desi superhero was kind of cool!

Taare Zameen Par (2007):
Aamir Khan’s directorial debut was of a precocious 8-year old child, Ishaan (Darsheel Safary), was one of the rare films in recent times that got critical acclaim and commercial success in equal measure. Written by Amol Gupte, TZP is about Ishaan’s artistic talent neglected by his utilitarian parents & “result oriented” teachers for whom a 100% in mathematics is the only yardstick of success. What they fail to see are the symptoms of Dyslexia which is threatening to subdue Ishaan’s artistic talents before a sympathetic art teacher (Aamir Khan) comes to his rescue. The film was screened in many films, while a lot of teachers and educators appreciated the filmmakers for shedding light on the difficulties that differently-abled children go through on a day-to-day basis. As an aside, Aamir Khan’s Mohawk hair-cut also caught on with children post the films’ release. Music is another strong point in the film.

Makdee (2002):
Vishal Bhardwaj is by far one of the finest filmmakers of our age, and Makdee was small production which brought big acclaim for the director as it won the second prize at the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival and Shweta Prasad won the National Film Award for Best Child Artist for portraying the role of twin sister, Chunni & Munni, in the film. The film is about a mansion haunted by a witch (Shabana Azmi) on the fringes of the village where Chunni & Munni live with their grandmother and father. People across age group appreciated the film, and the children just went berserk by Chunni & her side-kick Mughle-Azam’s shenanigans, while enthralled at the same time by her bravery in rescuing her sister and host of other people from the evil witches’ clutches.

Anjali (1990):
A Mani Ratnam classic, Anjali is the story of a girl born with terminal illness. Little Anjali is almost destined to not live beyond a certain age, but despite her tender age and lack of ability to comprehend things as they are she spreads unconditional warmth wherever she goes. A story of how the judgmental societal structure needs a ray of sunshine to temper the negative tide, this gem of a film bagged the prestigious National Award in multiple categories; best film, best child artist (Shamili, Tarun & Shruthi), and best audiography. The title track composed by Illayaraja is still popular amongst children.

Hanuman (2005):
A heart warming animation film which brought Indian mythology alive to children in a non-didactic way, Hanuman was a film that never suggested that it will appeal to a “wider audience”; all pretences were dropped. An out-an-out kiddie flick, Hanuman tells the journey of this desi super-hero like figure from his birth to his alliance with Lord Rama in the war against “evil”. An intelligent script, with some witty dialogues combined to let children have a whale of a time during this 90-minute long film. Children hooted with joy while the producers went home with a bagful of money, everybody lived happily ever after.

We end this post with the timeless song from Masoom, another film where fate of a child was the focus of the story although the subject was a bit too mature to include in the list. Anyway enjoy Gulzar sa’ab and RD Burman’s fablesque composition